Chapter 15

Tengen Uzui searched the Entertainment District. It was quiet. Too quiet except the jingling sound of Uzui's diamonds. He hid behind a building and looked around the corner. He gasped.

"Hinatsuru." he said. He finally found her.

Uzui went over to her. He untangled her from the ribbons she was wrapped in and held her in his arms. He gave her the antidote to the poison.

"Please forgive me. I was only trying to..." Hinatsuru started.

"Never mind that. Just rest." Uzui told her.

"By the time I realized Oiran Warabihime was a demon, she was already suspicious of me." Hinatsuru said, voice hoarse and raspy.

"I drank some poison and tried to slip out of the House. I didn't know the belt she gave me was being used to spy on me and kill me. She always knew exactly what I was doing, so I was unable to contact you." Hinatsuru explained.

"Lord Tengen, please leave this place and don't trouble yourself with me. You heard that sound just now. I know you did. That demon is on a rampage."

"Can you promise me that you'll be okay?" Tengen asked her softly.

"I promise." Hinatsuru said. "I'm sorry that I couldn't be more helpful to you."

"You've done everything that you possibly could." Uzui said. He held Hinatsuru closer. "Once the antidote kicks in, leave Yoshiwara. Understood?"

Hinatsuru began to tear up. After a very short moment, she replied, "Yes."

Tengen was now running on the rooftops again. The battle's already begun. Where is it? Search for its presence. Like a lightning spark, Tengen found the sound. He quickly changed direction.

It's here, underground. Tengen dropped to the ground, his ear pressed to the floor. I can hear the sound of someone fighting. If I focus on the reverberations...

Tengen took out his weapons. "Sound Breathing: First Form:... Roar!" Tengen dropped his weapons down onto the ground, creating an explosion of dirt and dust.

Back with the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro was trying to find the presence of the demon he was tracking. The presence was strong, but it felt familiar to him.

Then suddenly, Rengoku moved out of the way as someone attacked him from above. Kyojuro has his hand on his sword, ready to defend himself.

"Hello, Kyojuro." said the attacker. He walked out from the cloud of dust. It was the Upper Rank Three, Akaza.

Back with Tanjiro and Daki, Daki heard the commotion that Tengen has created. "That infernal racket is giving me a headache. What is it you're up to? It sounds like it's coming from the Ogimoto House. That damn Hinatsuru. Exactly how many of you are there?" Daki asked Tanjiro after speaking to herself. "Four perhaps?"

"Who knows?" Tanjiro simply answered.

"Well then, if you were to tell me the truth, I might be willing to spare your worthless life. We only clashed for maybe an instant at most but look at your sword." Daki said as she pointed at Tanjiro's blade. "It's already chipped."

Tanjiro gasped slightly. He looked closer at his sword and saw that it was chipped.

"The swordsmith who made it must have been a real amateur." Daki said, amused.

"You're wrong! The person who forged this is amazing, and he's a brilliant swordsmith!" Tanjiro said, defending his swordsmith who forged his blade.

"Oh really? How did it get chipped then, you moron?" Daki said. Another rumbling noise was heard.

"Over there now too?" Daki said as she heard the loud noise. "Such an obnoxious racket. I'm growing tired of it, so I'm putting an end to you now."

The blade suffers when it's wielder is inadequate. It's my fault. Despite training my hardest, I still... I still can't handle the Water Breathing Technique yet. The truth is my body's just not suited for it. If I keep using Water Breathing, I'll never be like Mr. Urokodaki or Mr. Tomioka.

For me, using Hinokami Kagura to strike my enemies has always been more effective. I feel more in tune with it. And yet...

Tanjiro thought back to when he was training. He used a form for Hinokami Kagura but that cost him a pain from inside his body. He fell to the floor on his knees and curled over. Zenitsu and Inosuke went to his aid.

Because of its sheer force, I couldn't unleash multiple strikes.

Tanjiro gripped his sword tighter. But it's different now. I should be able to do it! No, I can do it! That is what I've been training for. Don't go down in defeat. Burn! Burn! Burn! An image of Rengoku appeared in Tanjiro's mind, along with the promise he made to Senjuro. Set your heart ablaze!

Hinokami Kagura: Raging Sun!

Tanjiro slashed through Daki's ribbons.

Daki looked on with shock. His swordmanship style changed. It's shaper than before.

Tanjiro rushed towards Daki, preparing another attack.

"What is that sound he's emitting? It's unpleasant. Is it his breathing?"

Tanjiro brought down his sword on Daki but she moved out of the way at the last minute, the blade inches away from her.

She dodged the first one, but this move is a two-hit strike!

That was underwhelming, but... so typical!

Daki used her ribbons to try to slice Tanjiro's neck, but he suddenly vanished. He's gone?

Hinokami Kagura: Fake Rainbow. Tanjiro saw the thread leading to Daki in his mind's eye. There it is, the Opening Thread! I can do this!

"Hinokami Kagura: Fire Wheel!" Tanjiro flipped in the air but at the same time, he moved his sword towards Daki, ready to slice her.

Daki looked up at Tanjiro. "Far too slow. You're making me yawn."

The thread broke. Tanjiro gasped and he was hit by one of Daki's ribbons. He was flung backwards. I have to use the defensive falling technique. Tanjiro tumbled across the ground until he came to a stop.

As he was slowly getting back up, he felt his body being in pain, his heart beating rapidly, his breathing off. This is the drawback of using Hinokami Kagura. All the built-up fatigue is causing my muscles to cramp.

"Still alive over there?" Daki called from a distance.

Tanjiro turned to look her way. Calm down. Daki rushed over to attack Tanjiro. Get your breathing under control... Daki's ribbons were getting closer and closer to Tanjiro. And recover!

Quickly! Recovery Breathing. Tanjiro took in a huge breath, and he managed to block and move away from Daki's attack. Daki continued attacking him and Tanjiro continued hitting against her ribbons.

This belt is no different than a powerful blade. Even if I glimpse an Opening Thread, it vanishes instantly. My attacks are too slow. My body temperature. If I'm gonna win, I need to raise my body temperature!

Tanjiro managed to block most of Daki's attacks. It's working. I can feel my body temperature rising. I can do this. I can take on an Upper Rank demon!

He's a pesky one, more than I thought he'd be. How entertaining.

Focus! Hinokami Kagura's effective against her... but it's not enough to just be effective. If I want to win, I'm gonna have to use every once of my power, and I have to win... to protect the innocent... to protect my friends.

Never again will I allow chaos like that to unfold. Never again will I let anyone suffer the way that we did. No one should have to beat that kind of grief.

Tanjiro went to attack Daki once again. She laughed. "The way you sweat like a pig is truly repulsive!"

Tanjiro yells as he is about to strike Daki down.

Inosuke was going around the House, trying to locate the demon. When he finally found the spot where the demon is, he tried to get through the flooring. But he couldn't fit. So instead, he dislocated his arms, and he wiggled through underneath the ground.

He saw an opening at the end of the tunnel. When he came out of it, he saw layers of ribbons hanging from each side, crisscrossed. He saw people inside the ribbons, two were Suma and Makio, Tengen's wives.

He landed back onto the ground and relocated his arms back in place. Inosuke looked on as he examined the ribbons. He soon realizes that actual humans are trapped within the ribbons and then get devoured. He also found Zenitsu trapped in a ribbon.

Then one of Daki's ribbons began to speak. The ribbon was trying to insult Inosuke but Inosuke just insulted back. Soon, they were both fighting. Inosuke sliced through the ribbon belt with ease. He managed to save two humans.

Daki's talking belt was stunned at Inosuke's fighting skills. The belt didn't know what to do with Inosuke but then Daki's voice was heard. She told the belt to capture him alive. So once again, Inosuke and the belt were fighting but Inosuke soon realizes that he also had to protect the humans he saved.

He was about to go protect the humans that he just saved but then a few kunai stopped him. He looked to where they came from and saw Makio and Suma safe and awake.

"I gotta hand it to you! Worm Belt's a pretty good name!" Makio said.

"Yeah, it's perfect for something so gross and I'm so gonna tell on you!" Suma said, agreeing with Makio. "Just wait until Lord Tengen finds out!"

Together, Makio and Suma helped Inosuke fight against the belt. Then Zenitsu joined in the fight. Inosuke was so impressed with Zenitsu's fighting style that he suggested Zenitsu to sleep the whole time instead of occasionally.

Then a thunderous sound came from above. Dust bellowed everywhere and when it finally cleared, Tengen Uzui appeared. The belt was shocked to find the Sound Hashira in her lair. Tengen quickly sliced the ribbons with ease.

Makio and Suma were shocked to see Tengen.

"Makio, Suma. Sorry I took so long." He looked over his shoulder to smile at them. "You both look as flashy as ever."

Tengen walked over to them and patted both their heads. Suma and Makio were still stunned.

"You've been doing some flashy work here. You're my wives. I'd expect nothing less." Tengen said to them.

Suma just cried while Makio said nothing. Uzui just smiled.

"All right! From here on out, things are gonna get real flashy!"